Raw Diet For Cat Diabetes
A raw diet for cat diabetes is the best diet you can give a cat. However there can be a big difference between the raw diet you buy for your cat and the raw diet a cat would naturally eat in the wild. Donna Solomon a veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center of Chicago explains what this difference is:-
“I know this point may ignite some controversy amongst my readers, but I’m a strong advocate against raw diets. I do not recommend feeding cats raw meat for the following reasons: high risk for parasitism, bacterial infections and ingestion of toxins.
My 14-year-old son’s science project last year was on the bacterial content of raw chicken and hamburger purchased at a high end food store versus a moderate priced grocery store.
As I predicted, all raw meats grew a significant amount of potentially harmful bacteria. Guess which raw products grew the most bacteria? The high-end store’s products! High price and organically fed cows and chickens do not guarantee bacterial-free, safe products.
In support of feeding commercially prepared raw meat diets to their cats, some of my clients say, “That’s what they eat in the wild.” I counter argue, “Yes, they eat raw meat in the wild that is killed and eaten immediately.
It is not killed at a slaughterhouse, shipped to a processing plant, handled by dozens of workers in conditions that may be less than ideal (recall the recent Diamond Food Manufacturing Plant food violations) and then, sent to a grocery store where it may be days before it is consumed.”
It’s just not the same. In addition, cats in the wild live only a few years, whereas cats in our home may live 15 to 20 years. A big difference!
Lastly, why would I ever recommend opening a stinky can of cat food twice daily? Well, cats evolved in the dessert and regrettably have a low thirst drive. As a result of this low thirst drive, a cat fed a dry food diet will ingest 50 percent less water than a cat fed canned food.
In the wild, cats consume mice that are made of approximately 70 percent water. Most canned foods contain at least 75 percent water compared to dry foods which are about 10 percent water. Cats who are predisposed to forming crystals in their urine benefit greatly from ingesting canned diets.
Higher water intake equates to more dilute urine and lower incidence of crystal formation in urine. In addition, cats fed canned food have a lower incidence of hyperthyroidism, diabetes, constipation, obesity and helps keep cats hydrated with kidney disease.
In conclusion, remember that natural ingredients may be healthy for you, but may not be nutritious for your pet. The key to choosing a good diet for your cat is to choose a diet that mimics the nutritional composition of their natural diet.
Although our understanding of feline nutrition may be at it’s infancy stage today, I recommend feeding an animal-based protein rich canned food to your beloved cat for maximum longevity and good health. Bon appetite!”
So food for thought! I may have to do more research on the bacterial content of raw meats but for the moment it looks like that if you want to feed your cat a raw diet for cat diabetes, it is best to hunt it yourself!
